Real Madrid began a new project under Jose Mourinho in the summer, and one of the biggest talking points at the time was whether Vinicius Junior would sign a new contract with the club.

The Brazilian’s contract negotiations had dragged on uncomfortably long, but Vinicius eventually put pen to paper on a new long-term deal with the Spanish club.

However, ever since signing the new contract, Vinicius has looked woefully out of sorts and unable to reach his previous heights.

Now, former France international Marcel Desailly believes Los Blancos should have parted ways with the South American superstar.

Speaking on beIN Sports (h/t RM4Arab ), Desailly questioned whether keeping both Mbappe and Vinicius was the right approach for Madrid going forward.

“I think Real Madrid should have let Vinicius leave. They need to look for other players,” Desailly said.

Vinicius Jr. is going through a difficult moment at Real Madrid. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

He then explained why he believes Madrid should reconsider the attacking partnership.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "French icon urges Real Madrid to sell struggling forward: ‘Better for him to leave’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Live Scores metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 LiveWire Editorial Desk. Readers following "French icon urges Real Madrid to sell struggling forward: ‘Better for him to leave’" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.